HISTORICAL CONTEXT

He was a passenger on board Stirling Mk.IV LJ288 of 620 Squadron, Royal Air Force (RAF). The aircraft took off at 23:35 on 5 June 1944 from RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire to transport members of the 7th Battalion, Parachute Regiment for Operation Tonga (6th Airborne Division's parachute and glider assault in the early hours of D-Day).

However, the aircraft was hit by German anti-aircraft fire and it crashed about half a mile north of Château Sarlabot, Dives sur Mer, Calvados killing all on board.